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Pre-production planning

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Pre-production planning

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Latest from the blog

This week we revisited one of last century’s most widely enjoyed film classics: The Shawshank Redemption (1994), to take a look back at some of the elegantly simple cinematography of Roger Deakins.

It’s part of a challenge I’ve set myself (and my long-suffering wife) to watch/re-watch every film from American Society of Cinematographer’s list of Milestone Films in Cinematography of the 20th Century , and then share my notes and impressions once a week.

I’ve challenged myself (and my long-suffering wife) to watch/re-watch every film from American Society of Cinematographer’s list of ‘Milestone Films in Cinematography of the 20th Century’. This week we revisited genre defining 'Seven', directed by David Fincher and shot by Darius Khondji. Here are some notes and observations from re-watching this visceral and gripping classic thriller.

My name is Mike Best, and I am a photographer and filmmaker.

I’ve also been known to make YouTube videos, produce animation and visual effects, play on my guitar and do a bit of writing - while trying to be half decent husband and father...

It all started for me in my high-school darkroom, watching my first black-and-white photograph magically appear before me in the tray of chemicals. I was hooked, and spent countless subsequent hours walking around the streets of my hometown of Vancouver looking for interesting things to shoot while being constantly fascinated with the way light plays off different surfaces. I was lucky enough to have a couple great teachers along the way, studied with some amazing talents while at film school, and worked with some of the outstanding artists who have all opened my eyes to the world of visual storytelling.

Over the years I’ve worn a lot of different hats professionally. I’ve worked in a camera shop while shooting weddings on the weekends. I’ve taught courses in computer animation and vfx. I even spent a fair amount of time swinging a hammer in my dad’s construction business.

Sometime back in the late 1990’s, on little more than a whim, I decided to pick up and move to the United Kingdom. There, I spent over a decade working as an art director and creative director for some of the top computer games and visual effects companies in and around London.

Then, a few years ago I found myself spending more time writing documents and going to meetings than actually creating. I missed being out there making images and telling stories. I also realised how much value I got out of sharing my skills and experience with others who wanted to be express themselves creatively or tell their organisations stories more effectively.

So, I chucked in my corporate job to mind the home front, and began sharing my love of photography, lighting, cinematography and visual storytelling with others, some of which you will find on my blog and on YouTubechannel.

If you sign up for my newsletter below I’d love to keep you updated with tips, practical guides, reviews and other miscellaneous notes that I hope might help you in your own creative journey.

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